The Decision to Break the Cycle of Hate

The Decision to Break the Cycle of Hate

The world continues to evolve around us and within that evolution a new cycle of hatred has emerged. I would assume in a sense it was always there, but the climate has changed and now we are forced to be confronted with the many cycles of hate our predecessors experienced.

I’ve been there; followed around the store with all eyes on me. Called a S*** and a N***** Lover.
My parents told me countless stories of what is was like for them migrating to the United States in the late 50’s. Talk about history. Even with all of the faults of those times, our family pulled strength from where they had none to progress. The American Dream.! When people sit back on their pulpits and speak of radical islam as if it speaks for all Muslims, I would wonder? Have they read “OUR” history?

I remember is the early 90’s marching in Washington as an intern with the Congress of Racial Equality In opposition of California Proposition 187. The goal of Proposition 187 was to make illegal aliens ineligible for public benefits. It came in the middle of a deep recession in California and was popular partly because the fiscal estimate indicated that it would save the state about $200 million/year. It passed but was impossible to enforce. Why? Because collectively we had a voice. I use this as an example because there is a lesson to be learned from the past. We have come far but not far enough and in part because many of us are hell bent on acknowledging our differences as opposed to our similarities. We are human beings We hurt, we bleed and we feel the same.

We need to confront our humanity with “RADICAL FORGIVENESS’, “RADICAL UNDERSTANDING” AND “EMPATHY.” No one should be excluded from the rights of the Commonwealth because of race, ethnicity, religion or gender. We need to stand up against the vicious cycle of hate that revolves around us and become advocates of peace. The innocent should no longer lay victim to the barbaric and despicable acts and conversations that as Americans so many of us are willing to entertain. We deserve better treatment of ourselves. There so many profound and heartbreaking stories from which we can pull as a nation. That is not however my point. We deserve better treatment of ourselves as a people. Let us come from a place of peace and show mankind we are not the hate mongers we continue to see on television every day. We are AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL.